Milkie, Aaron

English

Liberty University Digital Commons

Title - Freedom, Mystery, and “Kinds of Desire”: The Doctrine of Theosis and Free Will’s Intelligibility QuestionProgram of Study – Philosophy (Interdisciplinary Studies)Presentation Type – Choose one of the following: Oral PresentationSubtype – Choose one of the following for poster or oral presentation types: Textual or InvestigativeMentor(s) and Mentor Email - Dr. Edward Martin (enmartin@liberty.edu)Student name(s) and email(s) – Aaron Milkie (awmilkie@liberty.edu)Abstract: The problem of free will stands among the most academically intriguing, and practically concerning, problems of philosophy. It also remains, after centuries of rich discussion and sharp division, a locus of tremendous philosophical polarization— citing strong, often incongruous intuitions, philosophers today disagree over the nature, possibility, existence, and implications of human free agency. One route which might help penetrate this apparent stalemate is the application of resources from theism— in particular, Christian theism— to the philosophical free will conversation. This paper reviews past contributions of Christian theism to the philosophical free will debate, arguing that these contributions, while illuminating, largely overlook what philosopher Robert Kane has termed free will’s “intelligibility question”: the charge that the very notion of libertarian free will is finally and indecipherably mysterious. The paper then addresses Kane’s intelligibility question by investigating the Eastern Orthodox Chrisitan doctrine of salvation as theosis, or “participation with the divine nature.” Careful analysis reveals that a theotic understanding of morality and freedom raises the plausibility of libertarian models of free will, as opposed to compatibilistic models, by situating human choice within a context that is already inherently and irreducibly mysterious. Thus, this paper identifies a novel pathway by which ideas from within Christian doctrine might help make sense of the strictly philosophical free will dialogue.

Freedom, Mystery, and Kinds of Desire: The Doctrine of Theosis and Free Will\u27s Intelligibility Question

https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?filename=0&article=2157&context=research_symp&type=additional

Freedom, Mystery, and Kinds of Desire: The Doctrine of Theosis and Free Will\u27s Intelligibility Question

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